Head of Sláintecare health reform programme resigns

The head of the office charged with implementing the Sláintecare health reform programme, Laura Magahy, has resigned.

It is understood that Ms Magahy tendered her resignation as executive director of Sláintecare programme which was based in the Department of Health.

She also held the title of deputy secretary general of the department.

Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council chairman Tom Keane is also leaving his role. Government sources indicated that his term of office was due to expire.

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The department said the Government is “more committed than ever before to implementing the Sláintecare programme of reform”.

Ms Magahy was appointed as executive director of the Sláintecare programme office in July 2018.She is a former director of Temple Bar Properties and former project manager of the Irish Film Institute. She also led the project to relocate Temple Street children's hospital to the Mater hospital site.

The department said on Wednesday that the Government wanted to thank Ms Magahy for her commitment and dedication to implementing the programme of reform since her appointment in 2018.

It said the Government also wanted to thank Dr Keane for his significant contribution to the Sláintecare reform programme since his appointment to a three-year term as chairman in 2018.

“The vision of Sláintecare is to achieve a universal single-tier health and social care system, where everyone has equitable access to services based on need, and not ability to pay. Over the past three years, significant progress has been made in delivering this vision, including the introduction of a new GP contract, the establishment of the HSE board, and an agreed unprecedented investment of €1.235 billion in Budget 2021 for specific Sláintecare initiatives.”

The department added that "as our health service emerges from the crisis presented by the Covid-19 pandemic . . . It is essential that we build on the innovation we have witnessed in our health service over the past 18 months to improve health experiences and outcomes for the people of Ireland. "